Raverlon
by Tessabe
Summary: This story is related to The Nature of the Beast, It's about the founding of Newhaven
1. Default Chapter

As I said before this world belongs to Mercedes Lackey only this story is mine. This is sort of a prequel to The Nature of the beast. When I wrote that story I got the feeling that the story of how the town ended up as Newhaven would be interesting.

By the way people have been telling me that my settings only let people who have logged in review, Sorry I had no idea. If you know how to fix this let me know through a review. Thanks

Chapter 1 The Herald's are Coming

Raver sat on the slate roof, his arms around his legs and his head propped on his knees. Bored, that's what he was. He wished that something exciting would happen. But those things only happened in the tales the bards told when they passed through Olhaven.

"Raver" he stiffened as he heard the shout on the wind. "Raverlon, where is that boy". He lay back on the roof and waited for his mother to leave. It wasn't that he didn't want to come, even chores were better than boredom, it was that he knew he would be in big trouble if she caught him up on the roof.

She hadn't caught on yet, but he often came up here to think or get away from the teasing of Hermal and his friends. They didn't dare hurt him directly, being that he was the mayor's son, but they were inventive in finding other ways to make his life miserable.

The latest was to call him a witchboy, in the last two years he had been seeing, well dreams or visions. And he thought with a frown they always came true. He had made the mistake of telling his parents and now the whole town knew.

They didn't say anything directly about the mayor's son, but he noticed the looks . And now, well it was getting a little better as he had been getting good at predicting the weather. At least it was with the adults..

He thought about the latest vision he had been seeing. He hadn't told anyone about it because, he didn't understand it himself. It was about a place he had never seen before. A big room and in it he saw two people in white, a man and a woman. Though the seemed on the surface to be calm, he could tell they were nervous and he had a bad feeling about what was going to happen.

He knew it was a vision because of the feeling he always got when he had one. He sat up a bit and looked beyond the edge of the roof, good, she was gone. He turned over and on his knees, he crawled over the top of the roof and down to the other side , where the large limb of a tree overhung the roof of his house.

Reaching up he grabbed the branch and pulled himself up. It didn't take long to climb down to the ground, he dropped the last few feet and turned, his heart jumping to his throat. His sister Carra stood watching him.

She shook her head and said "Ma sent me out to look for you, she wants to get ready for when the Herald's pass through, they should be here tomorrow".

He frowned "Why, they aren't Hardornan anyway, who cares".

She shook his shoulder and said " Their princess is to marry our prince, then we'll be one land". She gave him a look "You'd better not let ma catch you climbing the roof".

"You're not going to tell are you" he asked worried.

She sighed and shook her head "No, I should, but no, ma doesn't need any more stress right now".

"Good" he said relieved, then he evaded her hand and ran to the back door. "Thanks" he said over his shoulder as he pulled open the door.


	2. Chapter 2 Un Unpleasent Errand

Chapter 2 An Unpleasent Errand

"Where have you been, I've been calling you" Redda asked her youngest as he ran in through the door.

"Carra found me, she said you were looking for me" he said not quite answering her question.

"I want you to go to Lorimal and have him bake some of those meat pies he's so proud of" she told Raver. It wouldn't hurt to add some berry pies as well, the little ones mind you".

"Why" he asked snitching one of the greens she was preparing for supper.

"In case the Heralds end up stopping here for a meal" she said looking up from her task.

"If they don't come can I have a berry pie" he asked hopefully.

"We'll see about that" was her answer.

He sighed, when a grownup said something like that it usually meant no. He quickly walked through the house to the front door before his ma could come up with any other errands. Once outside he ran, hoping he wouldn't run into Hermal or any of the other's.

Luck wasn't with him today, he saw Hermal and Jodrey across the road from the bakery.

Jodrey nudged his friend and pointed in Raver's direction. He quickly ducked into the bakery hoping they would get tired of waiting for him, before he was through with his errand.

Lorimal was talking to Sara the blacksmith's daughter, about the weather of all things. For once Raver didn't care, he was glad to wait until they were done. He walked over to the table of pies waiting, ready for those who had ordered them. He sniffed, taking in the smell of fresh baking. He was eying one of the pies wondering if anyone would notice if a piece of the crust dropped off when he heard his name.

"Huh" he asked.

"I asked, will it rain next week" Sarah asked him.

He felt for the part of himself that knew these things and shook his head "No not for a couple of weeks".

She smiled, relieved. Raver thought she had a nice smile, not like some of the other's, Hermal's mother for instance, she was always frowning. I would frown too, if I had a son like Hermal, he thought to himself.

When Sara finally left he waved to Lorimal to get his attention. "Ma wants some of your meat pies and some of the small berry pies" he told him.

"Why is that" he asked startled, she never ordered pies until the week's end.

"The Heralds from Valdemar are passing through the town and she wants to have something ready in case they stop for a meal".

Lorimal puffed up with the thought of important foreigner's eating some of his pies.

He nodded to Raver "Tell her they will be ready". Feeling generous he added "Here, have a berry pie, I made extra".

Raver mumbled his thanks through the pie and left the bakery. If he finished before Hermal saw him he would be better off.

"Well, if it isn't the witchboy" Hermal's voice drawled from the next doorway. Jodrey laughed. Hermal walked up and grabbed his pie from his hands.

"hey" he yelped.

"You know what the priest says about sharing" Hermal said taking a bite of the pie.

"I know what he said about stealing" Raver retorted.

"Are you calling me a thief"Hermal asked, a dangerous note in his voice.

Both of the boys were several years older, and bigger than he was, Raver gulped and said "No".

"I didn't think so" Hermal said satisfaction in his voice. He finished the pie and looked down at Raver "Pity, the mayor should have someone like you for a son, it brings the whole town down".

Raver was furious, but he knew better than to respond, he turned and walked away hearing the laughter of the two until he was almost home.


	3. Chapter 3 I've Seen you before

Chapter 3 I've seen you Before

The next morning Raver sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey, Raver, ma wants us to pick up the pies after breakfast" Gherin said from around the corner of the attic room.

"Sure" he said. He tumbled out of bed and straightened his blanket before pulling on some clean clothing.

At the ladder stair leading down to the second floor he hesitated. remembering what had happened yesterday. He sighed and continued down, he'd like to see Hermal spout his nastiness while his brother and sister were there.

He smiled thinking about what had happened last spring when Gherin had heard Hermal teasing some of the younger children. When he had pushed Samara down, Gherin had given him a beating he wouldn't forget.

Now that he thought about it, that's when he had started with the witchboy comments. He sighed again and started down the front stairs following the scent of fried bacon fat and fresh bread.

Raver ate quickly finishing before the rest, he squirmed in his chair impatient to get started.

"Sit still Raver" his father said. He quieted and tried to stay still, but it was hard, the others were so slow. It seemed to take forever before the they finished and they were excused.

"Come on" he said to Gherin and Carra, he ran ahead and waited until they had walked to the Bakery. The three of them entered and Raver went to the table with their order .

He waited impatiently while Carra gossiped with Lorimal's wife and Gherin looked over the pies that Lorimal always put on display, with the guard stationed in town, there were always buyer's for these pies and a reason for the extra baking.

Finally, the three of them were leaving, carrying the pies in the woven bags Carra had brought. "Raver, get back here, you're going in the wrong direction" his brother shouted as he started walking fast towards their house.

"What" he asked when he turned back to his brother and sister.

"We're taking these to the guard station" he said.

"Why, official guests always stay with us" Raver said confused.

"Not this time" his brother said. "The order's were that the Heralds stay with the guards".

Raver shook his head , but followed, he didn't care why, he was glad for an excuse to visit the guard barracks. Maybe Garen would show him some more moves with his sword.

When they arrived, the man on watch waved them to the kitchens with their load. It was Garen who was on kitchen duty. "Hey, cousins, how are things going in town" he asked Gherin.

Raver grinned he remembered the story about how Aunt Angrea and their mother were pregnant at the same time, both sisters wanted to name their sons after grandpa so they ended up using two versions of the same name.

Gherin grinned "About the same like always".

"When are the Heralds coming" Raver asked Garen.

"They've been traveling faster than expected, so they're not actually staying here" he said.

"Can we have the berry pies then" Raver asked, not wanting to let the opportunity pass by.

"Raver" his sister gasped embarrassed by her little brother.

Garen smiled "They might be stopping for lunch, and anyway if they don't eat them, I'm afraid the guards will, they like berry pies too".

"Oh" Raver said, disapointed.

They heard a commotion then. "I told you they travel fast" Garen said, as he cocked his head, listening to the shouted order's and sound of guardsmen scrambling to get ready for their guest.

By the time Raver got to the door, he saw the white horses of the heralds arriving at the edge of town. When they got close enough to see them clearly, Raver's eyes got wide. They were the couple from his vision.

The man had black hair and blue eyes, he was almost too pretty for a man. The woman wasn't as pretty as the man, but there was something about her that looked like him, maybe they were cousin's. She brushed back her reddish brown hair from her face as they arrived at the barracks.

Raver shrank back and watched them from the shadows. Now that he'd seen them, they looked too nice for what was going to happen to them. He wanted to warn them, but the same thing that gave him his vision's held him back, and he knew what was to happen, had to happen. He turned back to the kitchen with tears in his eyes.

"Raver" his brother called after him when he ran through the kitchen and out the back door "Don't you want to see the Herald's". Raver didn't answer, he just kept running until he got to the tree by the house. His eyes blurry with tears, he climbed by memory and feel, finally dropping to the roof where he could cry without anyone seeing him.

He wouldn't have been able to tell them why he was crying, though he felt like his heart was breaking.


	4. Chapter 4 And Now You're Gone

Chapter 4 And now You're gone

For the next week Raverlon was subdued, he stayed near the house and kept to himself. He didn't play with his friends though they asked for him. His mother was worried, she didn't know what could have changed her youngest from a happy go lucky child, to this boy who moped around the house all day looking like his best friend had died.

When asked what was wrong, he would say nothing. His brother and sister were starting to notice, they offered him their after dinner sweets, but he only shook his head, pushing his own away.

Finally one night Redda climbed the ladder stairs to the attic rooms and sat next to Raver on the bed. "What's wrong" she asked him. He just shook his head. "Is there anything I can do for you" she asked. "Could you sing me the sheep song" he asked. Now she knew there was something wrong, but he would have to tell her in his own time. He hadn't wanted her to sing that lullaby for a couple of years claiming he was too old.

She hugged him, then tucked him in.

"Raverlon, Raverlon" she sang.

"Where will you wander"

"The sheep have gone"

"Running"

"The cows have gone"

"Yonder"

"The chickens gone pecking"

"Their eggs still not laid"

"And where will you go"

"Now that it's time"

"For you to"

"Lay down your head"

"Thanks ma".Raver said.

"Goodnight, sweet dreams to you". She left him not hearing him, sniff back the tears again.


	5. Chapter 5 Resolution

Chapter 5 Resolution

Raver was helping his father when he asked "Pa, have you ever killed a man". His father looked up startled.

"What makes you ask such a question" he asked his son.

"I was wondering" he said looking down at his feet.

"Once" he said "I was with the guard before my brother died and I had to become mayor, we went after some bandits and they turned on us, we had to fight". he told Raver.

"What did you do" he asked his pa.

"You're a little young for the details" he said.

"No, I mean after, when you had time to think about it" Raver said.

"Why are you asking this" he asked Raver.

"I let a man die" he said quietly.

His father looked at him, then asked "How, did you let a man die".

"The Herald, I knew he was going to die and I just let him go without warning him".

"Why" he asked his son.

"I had to, I knew something worse would happen if I didn't" he said a tear rolling down his cheek.

"What would that be" he asked all his attention on his son.

"I don't know, I can't see it, but I wasn't allowed to warn the Heralds" he said another tear falling as he looked at his feet, his hands trembling.

"You didn't kill him" his father said.

"What" he asked, startled into looking up into his father's face.

"Only the God's could do that, they gave you your gift, and there must have been a strong reason that things had to happen the way they have" his pa told him.

He nodded "That's what I've felt, but it still hurts".

"I know son, it's what makes you human" he said hugging him.


	6. Chapter 6 It Begins

Chapter 6. It Begins

Raver was laying back on the roof when the vision hit him. It was like the ones before only this time there was more detail. He saw the two arrive and this time he saw them in their room, they changed clothes with a couple of servants, the events unrolled before his inner eyes until he saw the arrows hit the man and saw the woman dragged away from the dead man. Then, as tears rolled down his eyes he saw the prince directing the men.

He came to with a start. He had to tell his pa, he had the feeling this was something of great importance to them all.

He crawled over the roof to the overhanging branch and climbed down quickly. He ran through the house until he saw his father in the front room, talking to one of the guard.

He backed up into the corner, then unbidden another vision started, that very man with a squad coming to Olhaven and taking away the young men and two of the young women, The Baker's daughter and...Carra. And he had the feeling that he would never see her again if such a thing came to pass.

The man ruffled his hair as he passed on his way out and it was all Raver could do not to flinch.

Khedrick took one look at his son's white and tear streaked face and knew something was terribly wrong. "What is it" he asked sharply.

"The prince " he started to say and stopped, trying to gain his composure.

"The prince" his father prompted.

"Yes, he's the one that ordered the Herald killed" he frowned "Or at least he will, tomorrow".

"You've seen this" his Father asked.

He nodded "Then just now, I saw the guard you were talking to come back with a squad and take all the young men and....".

"And" his father asked watching him carefully.

"They're going to take Carra and the Baker's daughter and kill them he said" tears starting up again.

"Not, If I can help it" his father said grimly. "We'll have to talk to the King".

"The prince killed the king too" Raver said.

"Then we'll need to escape" his father said. "Gherin" he yelled.

"Pa, what's wrong" Gherin asked when he had come running in at his father's shout.

"I need you to call a town meeting, and Gherin" he said.

"Yes, pa"

"Don't let the guard know about it" Gherin's eyes got big and he left fast to spread the word.


	7. Chapter 7 A Gathering of Fools

Chapter 7 A Gathering of Fools

That night the Town gathered in the mayor's home, as large as it was it was never intended to hold everyone at once and there was barely room to breath. The crowd murmured as speculation raged while the last stragglers came in to join them.

The mayor had never called a meeting this quickly before, and especially had never ordered that the guard was not to be informed. More than a few looked around searching for even those of the guard that were of their blood, but there were none to be found.

The mayor stood halfway up the front stairway so he could be seen by everyone. He motioned for silence. Once everyone stopped talking he called out in a clear voice that could be heard throughout the house.

"I called this emergency meeting because my son Raver has had a vision, one that will affect everyone in this town shortly.

"What the Witchboy" Hermal's voice was heard in the crowd. "Ouch" he said as his father cuffed him in the head, though a few nearby had laughed nervously.

Khedrick frowned, but continued "Tomorrow Prince Ancar will murder his father the king and the Herald's that came through here recently".

"What" a voice shouted.

"How can you be sure" said another.

The rest of the voices ran together as everyone tried to outshout the next person.

Khedrick waved for silence, but it was some time before everyone quieted down enough for them to hear what he had to say. "That isn't all" he started to say.

A voice from the back shouted " what else could there be". A few of the others said things as well though those comments were lost in the crowd.

Khedrick shouted "Silence" they quieted down instantly, Khedrick wasn't known to shout and to hear him do so made most of the people frightened and they began to take what he said seriously.

"The prince will send men in soon to take away all of our young men, I believe he intends to start a war with Valdemar".

Valdemar" one of the men cried. "But they're our allies".

Khedrick looked grim "Nevertheless, that is what he intends, He is also planning to take two of our young ladies, my daughter Carra and Lorimal's daughter Myra".

Lorimal's wife sobbed and her husband hugged her to him looking grim, Myra was their only child and the light of their life.

"I don't believe it" Hermal's father Gremmal said.

"You're welcome to think what you wish, but those of you who believe me are welcome to join my family to escape, we have picked a new place for the town, that Raver assures me will never be found by Ancar's men" Khedrick said.

At Khedrick's words the voices were raised again and by the end of the meeting about two thirds of the town decided to leave with the mayor. Before the meeting ended Gremmal asked "What's to prevent me from telling the guards your plan and new location" he had been the most vocal of those staying.

"If you do" Khedrick said in a deadly serious tone "I will kill you myself, I also am keeping the location to myself until we arrive, being that you plan to stay you won't be able to find us, you'll be on your own".

At that two of the families that had been planning to stay decided to join, fear knocking sense into them.

Khedrick had the families that were planning to stay in the town leave before moving on with the plan for the evacuation. He also posted guards to watch them and the house so that they wouldn't be able to eavesdrop on the rest of the meeting. It was the best he could do for them, he felt bad for them, but he had to protect those who had decided to join the flight.


	8. Chapter 8 The Run

Chapter 8 The Run

It took another week to sneak out all of the belongings, they planned to take, gradually they had been moving people as well. Carra and all of those who were in the most danger were in the first groups to leave, Raver had also been taken, Khedrick knew that once those who had decided to stay talked to Ancar's men, he would want to take Raver for his own.

Gherin had gone with Raver, ready to race back on their horse with warning if Raver had a vision of impending danger. Because of his position, Khedrick was in the last group to leave.

In the end Gremmal kept quiet, perhaps because Khedrick had told those who had decided to stay that anything left behind was theirs to keep, Let him enjoy it while he could. As annoying as Gremmal had been, he still didn't wish his fate on him, Raver had told him what he saw in their future, before throwing up.

Khedrick almost wished that Raver didn't have the gift he did, though it had saved them from a fate perhaps worse than death.

He looked back one last time at his childhood home, his heart full of bittersweet memories, before turning back to the road and his future.


	9. Chapter 9 A waiting Game

Chapter 9 A Waiting Game

Gherin watched Olhaven from afar with Neverin and Jodrey. Surprisingly away from Hermal's influence Jodrey was a pleasant enough person, he had just been easily led.

They watched closely, careful not to be seen, they had been told that once the guard heard the news, some of them would flee, they were to watch for them and take them in, everyone that is, except for one man that Raver had warned about, he was Ancar's spy for the area. Gherin smiled grimly, he knew what to do with the man.

One day about two weeks after they had left, Gherin worked his way from their camp to the post where Nev was doing his watch, Jodrey was sleeping having done the night watch, they had been alternating between the two, with Gherin watching the camp and occasionally joining the one on watch.

There was no complaints though, Gherin was the only one among them that knew the way to their camp in the woods, the others being town bred, had never gotten the knack of navigating the woods, they became lost once out of sight of the road.

Khedrick, having been in the guard, had insisted all of his children learn woods craft, taking them on occasional trips, teaching them what he knew.

Gherin knew something was up when he reached Nev. Nev pointed down to the town, this close to Olhaven they didn't dare talk in more than whispers. He looked, he saw guardsmen spilling out of the barracks, they milled around with a noticeable lack of discipline, he heard distant shouts, but was unable to make out what they were saying.

In the end a good third of the men left their post, a caravan of loaded horses leaving and heading their way, Gherin grinned, Raver had said they would do so, it was more proof that he had a true gift, as if there had been any doubt.

He motioned Nev closer "Get Jodrey and pack up the camp, we have to get in front of them and stop them before they get too far" he whispered, Nev nodded and crawled back the way he had come earlier.

Gherin watched as the line of men made it's way closer, when they were near enough he stepped from the woods in front of them. The man in the lead stopped and looked at him with suspicion.

"Gherin" Garen's voice rang out from the back of the group. "Is that you" he asked.

"Yes it's me" he said loud enough to be heard over the nervous horses.

"Thank the Gods you're alive, when you all disappeared we didn't know what to think, the ones who stayed didn't tell us a thing" he said his voice growing louder as he made his way to the front.

"I'm guessing you've now heard why we left" Guerin said grimly.

"How did you know" the leader of the group asked.

"It must have been Raver" Garen said, a note of discovery in his voice.

"Before you say more" Gherin warned. "I need to see if Ancar's spy is among you".

"Do you have a man named Kedral with you, he's tall and thin with dark red hair and brown eyes" he said.

"I know who you're talking about, he stayed behind" the leader of the group said.

"Gherin nodded "Then I am authorized to ask you if you wish to join us, it would mean being an outlaw" he started to say.

"We've already burned our bridges, leaving our posts" one of the men said. Others nodded.

Another man said "It would be good to have a place to go to, I'm too far from home to go there, and it doesn't appeal to me to leave Hardorn".

"Do you all feel this way" Gherin asked.

"Yes" several of the men said while others just nodded.

"Then follow me" Gherin said, leading them to his meeting point with his companions.


	10. Chapter 10 Coming Home

Chapter 10 Coming Home

Raver was watching from a tree when he saw the caravan of guards coming from the south. They wouldn't let him leave camp so this was the most privacy he could get, sometimes he missed the slate roof when he wanted to think.

These days he felt a hundred years older than he had been last month. He didn't feel like a boy anymore, he had seen too much. He rubbed his face thinking of his wish for some excitement. He laughed to himself, he'd had enough excitement now to last a lifetime, and he didn't think it would get any calmer soon.

He had a wisp of a vision of a man with blond hair and grey eyes. But it faded before he really had time to see. Things like that had been happening a lot lately. It seemed the more he used his gift the more sensitive it became, he smiled as he thought, at least I don't have to reach to know the weather anymore.

He was glad the guard had arrived now, it would rain really hard tonight and they would need every strong arm and back to get up the shelters they had been working on.

They had picked a spot in the forest after a long search with Raver. For some reason, spots that seemed to be perfect gave off a strong sense of danger. He didn't know what the danger was , he just felt fear so strongly he got sick. In fact, this site was within sight of one of those danger spots. Whatever the danger was, it couldn't be that of discovery.

He shrugged and slid down the tree when the men came near enough to see him. "Raver" his cousin Garen cried. "You're a sight for sore eyes".

He grinned and looked up at Garen where he sat on his horse "I knew you would be one of those who came" he said still grinning.

"Raver, what are you doing out here away from camp" his brother Gherin said frowning down at him.

"I know when it's safe, besides, it's my turn to watch" he said "come follow me, you'll never recognize the camp". They followed Raver as he ran up the path. Soon they came to a steeper rise and the horses caught up to him. He stopped and pointed, it's down here he said.

The path dropped sharply after that and the men were able to look down on the new clearing in the forest. "Is that safe, having your camp in a hollow, shouldn't you be having it on a rise instead" the lead guardsman asked with a frown.

"Raver shook his head "Our best defense is to never be found, if they see us, we could never defend ourselves anyway, this way we could have a bonfire and they wouldn't see it".

The guardsman nodded "Makes sense".

"What's that" one of the guardsmen asked, pointing at the rags fluttering from branches halfway up the opposite hill.

"That's to warn off people, we have to stay out of that area, it's dangerous, or at least it will be" Raver said with a shiver.

"What's wrong with the area" the guardsman shook his head confused.

"I don't know exactly, but it makes chills run down my spine to stand in there".

"I'd trust Raver's instinct's" Garen said "If something makes him react that strongly I wouldn't want to get near it".

One of the other local guardsmen nodded "I remember a couple of years ago he kept warning everyone away from one spot on the riverbank, it was before we knew about his gift, so no one would listen, One day the Gadfrey boy fell to his death when it collapsed, I think that's when we realized he had a gift".

They could see people looking and pointing towards them as the neared the camp. "That's another reason to camp here" Raver said. "We can see anyone coming before they get to us".

By the time they made it to the camp, a crowd was waiting for them.


	11. Chapter 11 A Storm is Coming

Ch 11 A Storm is Coming

Khedrick welcomed Garen and the others, there wasn't time for a welcoming party though, Raver's prediction of heavy rain had made them step up work on the first of the buildings, they had almost finished the first, only it's roof was missing.

With the addition of the extra men, the work went smoothly, even the smaller children helped, running errands and getting water for the men. The stronger of the women pitched in, while those who couldn't do the heavier work made the meals and gathered everything together in anticipation of their move into the new buildings.

By the time the first heavy drops of rain fell they had enough of the buildings covered that everyone would be dry, though some of the buildings still had open walls, those could be finished later. It was in one of these open buildings that they had built the fire for cooking the evening meal. Raver sat near the open end of the building, his plate of stew and slice of flat bread before him.

Lorimal had urged the mayor to build him an oven for baking, but, with the bad weather that was predicted, it wasn't a priority. Raver looked up to see one of the sour looks Lorimal sent his way, honestly Raver thought to himself, you'd think I called the weather myself instead of merely predicting it. He didn't let Lorimal wreak his appetite, eating the stew as quickly as he could, he had a feeling they would be hungry in the near future.

There certainly wasn't much room for crops in their basin, especially with all the trees surrounding them. He wished Gherin had stayed, but he and the two others with him had gone back to watch Olhaven.

That night for the first time Raver slept in their new house, they didn't have beds yet, so he lay on a bundle of dried grass some of the children had gathered for bedding. He pulled his blankets up to his chin and stared in the darkness waiting for sleep.

He could hear the sound of the rain faintly from where he lay, once the ladders and other finishing touches were finished he would be moving up to the attic with his brother and sister, but for now, he shared the main room with his parents and Carra. He fell asleep still thinking of their new home.

It was several days later when he was helping his father sand the floors in the main room when he felt another vision coming, it was the one about the soldier's coming to Olhaven for Carra and the young men, only this time, they didn't find her there, instead they grabbed Hermal's sister Berela and another girl he didn't know as well from one of the farmer families that hadn't wanted to leave their land.

They rounded up all the young men left and took the guard that remained, when some of the people resisted, they began to ransack their homes. In the end half the town was in flames, and several people were dead, including Hermal's father. There was a man in dull red robes with the soldier's, he seemed to revel in the destruction and the deaths, Raver thought he was a mage of some sort. he wasn't sure what kind, never having seen a mage before, not close up anyway.

"Where are most of the people" he heard the robed man ask one of the women.

"They left" she said crying.

"Why did they leave" he asked her.

She shook her head not wanting to talk, he grabbed her child and held a knife to the girl's throat "Tell me" he said in a menacing voice.

"Raver warned them" she cried out one hand raised in a silent plea.

"And who is Raver"he asked softly, letting the knife break the child's skin, a drop of blood showing against her white neck.

"He's the mayor's youngest son" she cried, not wanting to give any more information than she had to.

"How did he know" he asked.

"He has the sight" she cried when she heard her child scream, as the hold he had on her hair tightened. "He saw Ancar kill the Herald and his father, he saw you come, please, please don't hurt Amie anymore" she plead.

"Where did they go" he asked the woman.

"I don't know, no one does, they knew you would try to find them, they didn't tell anyone who stayed behind" she cried sobbing for her child.

"Pity" he said slitting the child's throat and throwing the body at her mother. She lay sobbing in the dirt holding tightly to her child. He turned back to his men "Kill them all" he said with a smile. "Kill them slowly.

Raver came to himself with tears running down his face, he had taken care of Amie once, when his mother had a meeting with the women. He looked up to see his father staring into his face a worried look in his eyes. "Tomorrow Olhaven will be no more" he said.


	12. Chapter 12 A Name to Choose

**This is the end of this story, but I plan on writing more about these characters. Other related stories are Carra Mine and The Nature of the Beast. **

Chapter 12 A Name to Choose

Khedrick called a town meeting. Everyone except those on watch and two groups that had gone out to watch for Ancar's troops was there. Raver was glad no one was watching Olhaven anymore. He didn't think they could have continued to watch and not try to stop what was going to happen, to do so would have been to endanger them all.

The people had come slowly, two or three at a time as they left their current projects. Once they were sure everyone who could come was there, Khedrick called for the meeting to start.

When the voices quieted he said in a clear voice that carried Olhaven has died today".

When he had quiet once more he continued "Raver has seen it, everyone the guards didn't take they killed, they also burned the town. There was nothing left".

"Then this is Olhaven"one of the men shouted from the back.

Khedrick shook his head "do you really want the name of such a Tragedy hanging over your head day after day, I think we need a new name for our settlement".

The debate raged on several candlemarks, many wanted to keep the old name for their new home, while others took what the mayor had said to heart.

It seemed the two factions would never agree. As time went on the mayor worried that it would destroy their fragile new community and now he almost wished he hadn't suggested a new name, but in his heart he knew he was right.

It seemed that every new name thrown out was not acceptable to everyone, there was always someone who took offense, then the debate would start up again.

Raver sat in the corner, he didn't want to directly influence events. He sometimes had a feeling that it would be a bad thing, like when he had let the Heralds go. He had the same feeling about this decision. He wasn't sure why, but he knew he wasn't to be the one who came up with the new name for the town.

It was frustrating though, not to say anything when he knew what the name was going to be.

Then in a lull a child's voice rang out "If the old town was Olhaven, why can't the new one be Newhaven".

There was laughter as people were caught by surprise, the debate went on for a time, but the child's suggestion caught on. It had a little of the old and it was a new name,it seemed to be a good compromise.

In the end it was the name chosen for the new town.


End file.
